This past Sunday, the Dartmouth Women's Rugby Club survived a particularly rough game to take down Boston University by a score of 50-0 and end the league season undefeated.
Scoring started early for the Big Green as dominant play in the forwards helped open up the spread game. Off of a ruck a couple of meters out, the ball went through the hands of the backs until wing Annie Snider '04 took it into the try zone. Those first five were all the points that Dartmouth would need.
This first try was only the beginning as fullback Jackie Johnson '05 capitalized on the scattered BU defense to touch down two tries in a row.
"She looked very confused that no one was tackling her," B-side eight-man Niki Leiter '04 said.
A few minutes later, another ruck near the try zone allowed Sonia Tarantolo '04 to get the ball back out to Snider, who dove over the line for another try.
The last try of the half was the result of a very fancy play in the backline. Snider took the ball from outside center Tarantolo and burst through the BU defense for 50 meters before she was caught by the fullback.
The Dartmouth forwards were in great support and the ensuing ruck allowed Tarantolo to beat a confused and disorganized Terrier defense for the last try of the first half.
As has been the case for much of the season, the second half was more of the same for the Big Green. In fact, as has been the case with two other games this season, the same number of points was scored in both halves.
The remaining 40 minutes began with a good, organized feeling as prop Kim Siciliano '03 positioned herself perfectly on the weak side of a ruck, took a pass from scrumhalf Catherine Dale '04, and delivered the ball to Snider, who increased the DWRC lead to 30 points.
Before the game ended, Dartmouth would put four more tries on the board.
Gaynor found herself in a very familiar situation: on her way to the tryzone with Snider on her outside. Seeing the defense shifted out towards the wing, she alertly faked the pass, and scored the last try herself.
Next weekend, the New England Rugy Football Union East Division champion DWRC will travel to UMass-Amherst to take on Williams College, the winner of the West Division.
Annie Snider is a junior winger for the Dartmouth Women's Rugby Club.
